Test drive Mercedes Benz S-class w220 1998-2002 sedan
The "six hundredth" era of the crisis
It happened. The symbol of the new Russia, without which we cannot imagine domestic politics, economy and mafia, have gone the past. There is no longer the famous W140, a stoo -rose, a boar, a six -hundredth. From now on, a new model is collected on the conveyor near Stuttgart - W220. With her, the Daimler -Benz concern will enter the third millennium, and a new representative car with a star on the hood will have to prove that she is a worthy shift. Autopilot correspondents tested the new Mercedes both in his historical homeland and in Moscow. Life according to concepts
About the most relevant during the crisis. The new S-class, in accordance with the prevailing tradition, will cost no more than its predecessor a similar configuration. But this is a wise marketing move, because the W140 simply did not exist in such a configuration, and ultimately, due to all kinds of innovations, cars will be more than five percent. Not so much, given that the development and introduction of the two -two cost the concern in a round amount - about a billion dollars. Was it worth it to spend money? Probably yes. The grandfather of the current new item - Mercedes in the body of W126 - lasted on the conveyor for 12 years, and only seven, beloved by our compatriots - Stosorokova. At the same time, part of the potential buyers went to other companies, and the share of the penultimate S-class in this segment was 40 percent. A lot, of course, but the general who does not dream of becoming a marshal is bad - with the W220, the concern dreams of returning everyone who fled under his wing and get new customers whether it will turn out - time will tell.
Which star did you fly from?
By tradition, before the start of mass sales, manufacturers staged mass rolls for journalists from around the world. While one of us wound up kilometers along the Swiss and German roads, the other took the car in Moscow, and the picture turned out to be almost complete.
The appearance of the car was perhaps the subject for the most acute discussions. Is this Nissan Maxim-I, Hende Sonata-III or Lexus-500? - asked some, accustomed to the fundamental forms of the 140th body, slanting-fraud, smooth body contours- the geometry of the Japanese, Koreans, Americans and Europeans at the same time. Indeed, at first glance, the new car looks somehow too universal, it does not have the most important thing that allocated the former six hundredth in the stream of other cars: look, I'm going! We found several explanations: firstly, the tendency in the world automotiveness to the rapprochement of forms is difficult to invent a bicycle, but it is important to make it under a specific rider; Secondly - in the era of the universal world crisis, it is ridiculous to enter the market with a defiantly large machine, screaming about the prosperity and position of the owner (the analogy can be traced in the auto -execution of Comrade Zyuganova: to meet with businessmen - with workers on the Volga); Thirdly, the task of the designers is precisely to make a new car like a non-ascendant: Fedot, not the same.
Nevertheless, she is striking - during filming on Kutuzovsky Prospekt in Moscow, we practically paralyzed the movement on the government highway. Non -traditional forms combined with a traditional star on the hood attached the views of almost all drivers - from Tavria to the same six hundredth. Especially excited all the repeaters of the turns in the external rear -view mirrors. And despite the fact that the new S -class externally became smaller and easier than his predecessor, the driver and passengers got a more spacious salon, and even about the level of comfort, technical equipment and behavior on the road is a separate story.
Sexual character Even in a full two days of driving in a new car, you can make yourself an idea of \u200b\u200bit. The most important conclusion is this: on this machine you can enter the third millennium, it is self -sufficient in technical equipment, verified in the image, surpasses its direct competitors in level of passive and active safety, is economical and environmentally friendly. Almost everything else is details.
Once the machine was driving, in the electronic system of which 40 electric drives and 850 sensors that control the operation of 170 devices are mounted, you do not experience any discomfort. Everything is at hand, everything is clear and moreover - friendly to the driver. The most important highlight of the new S -class is the command system that we christened to the lady to ourselves. It includes a radio with a compact disk player, a TV, a telephone with a voice from a voice and a navigator. The organizers of the test drive, perhaps, for the first time abandoned the traditional road legend - the same lady pave the route to reporters, promising in time in five European languages, where to turn. Unfortunately, there was no Russian - so far we have a navigator with a pleasant autopilot function due to secrecy (they cannot create an electronic map of Russian roads and streets). It seems that the duties of the lady end in this, but the association with the fact that the new S-class is still a feminine, does not pass: the chairs in the cabin will make a massage, he will warm up or blow their back with ventilation and what is lower. In the event of an accident for your life, as many as eight airbags will fight.
The car behaves perfectly on the road: we experienced it both on the mountain serpentine and on the direct autobahn, squeezing 250 km/h from the engine, and felt that this was not the limit. At the same time, at a speed of more than 140 km/h, the car is automatically pressed 15 mm to the road, and with uniform movement along the highway, four out of eight cylinders can be turned off to save fuel. And this despite the fact that even a five -liter engine spent about 16 liters per hundred during our test.
While the car is equipped with three types of engines. This is an already familiar V6 V6 motor with a capacity of 224 hp, a V-shaped eight of 4.3 liters with a capacity of 279 hp. And finally, a 8-cylinder 5-liter engine with a capacity of 306 hp. A real six -hundredth with a 5.8 V12 engine and a power of 400 hp. It will appear next year. Then they are waiting for the appearance of the coupe on the basis of the W220, which, as the representatives of Mercedes say, will be very beautiful.
All motors are complete with a 5-speed automatic checkpoint. However, it provides for the ability to manually switch the transmission by manually, shaking the lever to the right or to the left (similar to the STEP-Tronic BMW). On this manual mode, a 5 -liter engine shows its fighting character - the car tears from a place no worse than sports. Another pleasant thing is that when the rear gear is turned on, the car does not move. She, as it were, gives the driver time to look around - are there any obstacles, and only after that reacts to the gas pedal. And there are a lot of such trifles.
Explanatory dictionary W220 This number would not have been enough to describe the numerous innovations of the new Mercedes. Therefore, we decided to group the most interesting, in our opinion, things to show at least part of the bells of the new car.
Airmatic - a new pneumatic wheel suspension. Instead of traditional springs, each wheel is suspended on a pneumatic rack. The pressure in them varies depending on road conditions using a special compressor.
BAS is a system for braking. The microcomputer controls the condition of the coating and the intensity of the brake force on the pedal.
Bose - serial acoustics of the new machine. The maximum equipment includes a radio and a CD player for 6 discs with 8 speakers and an amplifier.
Crash -Box - literally a clash box. Made of alloy metals, mounted in front and in the case of a small accident take on a blow without much damage to the body and wallet of the owner.
Distronic - electronic distance control system. When driving in the flow of machines, it automatically controls the distance to the car walking in front, gives commands the engine to accelerate and braking.
Dynaps is a literally dynamic autopilot system. The advanced navigation system, which, on the basis of reports about traffic jams and traffic jams on the road independently optimizes the route of the car. It does not work in Russia yet.
Keyless -Go - literally go without a key. Access to the salon is possible if there is an electronic card the size of a credit card. As soon as the driver takes the door handle, the system reads the card code and opens the door. After you got into the driver’s chair, the system again starts the engine without a key. It is possible to install an additional alarm, while all the glass of the machine, thanks to the additional layer of the film, are protected from a stone or even a hammer.
A SPOON OF TAR
It is known that until the end of this year, Russian dealers will receive 100 cars. Unfortunately, in the so -called package configuration. This means that the possibility of individual selection of options is so far excluded. Possible options are also limited: black body - light skin of a salon, gray body - black leather. Lack of navigation. Problems are possible when connecting a mobile phone to Russian operators.
Of course, a dozen two cars will come by self -propelled or through gray sellers. Naturally, the owners of these machines will face certain difficulties - electronic systems set to completely different countries will deliver a lot of trouble to the owners of left -wing cars. Will the new S-class become what his predecessor was? We think yes. Even despite the navigation system that is unemployed in Russia, on some little things that seemed to us by an annoying misunderstanding (for example, not a very well -worked glove compartment, some overkill of cheap plastic in the internal niches and an extremely unfinished fastening of the cell phone tube). In the end, they will bring to mind or make to order - for that this is Mercedes. But this is only a year later and through official dealers.
An elongated version of the S -class has already been prepared for sale, in line - armored vehicles and pulmas. A little time will pass, and the new S-class will become the same familiar phenomenon on the streets of Moscow, as the six hundredth today. Unless, of course, but what includes this if - you read in a special report of this number
Autopilot thanks the company Mercedes-Benz Cars, (095) 926-4040, and Panavto, (095) 974-6266, for the car provided for the test. For the period of the Moscow test, the car was insured in the company of RESO-Garantia, (095) 250-3600.
Who else
The official sales of the new six hundredth began on October 24. Moreover, in all countries at the same time - apparently, to immediately make it possible to feel that a solid car enters the market, which does not fit on on some geography there.
The crisis has not changed the tastes of Russian buyers. In any case, for now. According to the AZR car dealership, all October, November and almost all December S-class deliveries are bored in the bud. And this is despite the fact that the Germans, knowing the finity of our consumers of luxury cars and fearing that the strict implementation of all their intricate requirements can create unnecessary problems and even delay deliveries, immediately said: in the first months, no requirements about a special configuration are accepted. Take what they give. And take it.
The first purchasing judgments about the new car can be summarized as follows. About the interior is definitely: beyond praise. Everything is new and everything is much better than before. A lot of convenient little things that were absent (more precisely, not always present) in the old S-class. The steering wheel leaves up for the convenience of exit; The automatically rising headrest of the rear seat, etc. But on the outside, he was all licked, mowed the former was solid, and this small one. In any case, it takes time to get used to it.
It is ridiculous that in the rest of the world everything is exactly the opposite - a decrease is considered the unconditional advantage of the new model. Mercedes dropped overweight, pounds 500-600,-writes a very respected publication of Detroit news, “which is quite natural if you recall 1991 and a whole flurry of critical statements about the excessive massiveness of the S-class now it is 13-17% more economical.
The former, the same overly massive S-class, is also sold. But with discounts reaching up to 10-13 thousand dollars. Which is actually a lot, since customs duties make up more than half of its Russian value, and dealers cannot save on them.
Model/Modification Mercedes-Benz S500
The manufacturer Daimler-Benz AG
The country-producing Germany
BODY
Type sedan
Number of doors/places 4/5
ENGINE
Gasoline type with electronic multi -point injection HFM
The location in front is longitudinally
Working volume (cubic cub) 4966
Number/location of cylinders 8/V-shaped
Cylinder diameter x Piston stroke (mm) 97.0x84.0
Compression degree 10.0: 1
Power, kW (L.S.) at about./Min. 225 (306) at 5600
Moment (nm at about./Min.) 460 at 2700-4200
The number of valves per cylinder 3
TRANSMISSION
The rear wheel drive, disconnected ASR anti -operating system
The gearbox is automatic five -speed. Tiptronic, with manual gear shifts and sport and winter modes
SUSPENSION
The front on transverse levers, pneumatic, with a reptile stability stabilizer, with a variable clearance and a system for adjusting the rigidity of shock absorbers (ADS)
The rear independent multi -link pneumatic, with a reptile stabilizer, with a variable clearance and a system for adjusting the stiffness of shock absorbers (ADS)
STEERING
Type gear-rake, hydraulic wrap
Min. Diameter of turn (m) 11.7
Brakes
Front disk ventilated
The rear circular ventilated
ABS four -channel with electronic control and electronic control system for rotating the wheels
Wheels
Tire size 225/60 R16W
Wheels 6.5j x 16 h2
Dimensions/Opam/Weight
Length/width/height (mm) 5038/1855/1444
Wheel base (mm) 2965
The track front/back (mm) 1574/1574
The volume of the fuel tank (L) 88
Mass, dry (kg) 1855
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 250
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 6.5
Economy
Fuel consumption (l/100 km):
Highway 9.9
City 19.4
Mixed cycle 13.4
The price of the weated in Moscow from $ 140,000
Alexander Fedorov, Nikolai Yurkov (photo)
A source: "Autopilot"
